Latiful Azam, Kishoreganj (Nilphamari)

In Kishoreganj Upazila of Nilphamari, allegations have been made against the principal of Magura Dolapara Alim Madrasa of secretly forming a governing body committee by ignoring the instructions of the Education Board. There is pent-up anger among the locals, teachers, students and guardians in this regard.

Meanwhile, the guardians of the madrasa have demanded that the process of forming a pocket committee be immediately canceled and a new committee be formed through free fair elections.

According to the Secondary Education Office, there is a rule to form a new committee 3 months before the expiration of the term of the old committee. In addition, every student will be informed through a notice in the classroom, and the election schedule notice will be hung in various important places and markets in the area. So that the public and guardians of the area can know about the matter. But instead of doing so, Principal Abdul Khalek secretly submitted the necessary documents to the Madrasa Board for approval to form the governing body under his fabricated law.

According to the notice of the election schedule, the date for distribution, receipt and submission of nomination papers was set from July 28 to August 3. The candidates’ nomination papers will be scrutinized and the valid final list will be published on August 4. The time for withdrawal of nomination papers is August 5 and voting will be held from 10 am to 4 pm on August 14. But the voting did not take place on the scheduled date. Principal Abdul Khalek secretly included the names of his preferred people in the committee list for various positions and sent it to the board.

Guardian Obaidul Islam said that since joining the Madrasa, the principal has been running the institution arbitrarily by forming pocket committees with his relatives. This time too, he is secretly trying to form a blue-print committee with people of his choice in the madrasa.

Guardian Budhu Mia said, my daughter is a regular student of this madrasa. I do not know anything about the formation of the committee. The principal has sent a fabricated committee. Earlier, a controversial committee was formed with the same rules. The quality of education has come down due to the formation of the committee with incompetent people of his choice without rules. Since there is no improvement in the quality of education, many parents are getting their sons and daughters admitted to other institutions. The demand of the majority of parents is that we are drawing the attention of the madrasa authorities to form the committee through open voting without playing hide and seek.

When we spoke about this, the madrasa principal Abdul Khalek said, the election process has been completed in accordance with all the rules. The allegations made against me are false.

Secondary Education Officer Ashrafuzzaman said, I have no jurisdiction to interfere in the matter of the madrasa committee. Therefore, I cannot comment on this matter.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Pritam Saha said that if any such irregularities have been committed, action will be taken after investigation.